Interfaith Task Force

San José State University is a student-centered institution committed to creating a learning and working environment where every Spartan can thrive. Religious, secular, and spiritual cultures and identities (RSSCI) are an important part of how many students, faculty, and staff experience belonging, purpose, and well-being, and honoring these identities is essential to advancing student success and fostering a vibrant, inclusive campus culture.

In keeping with this commitment, the University convened the Interfaith Task Force in December 2024 to examine the campus climate for RSSCI and to develop recommendations that support students, faculty, and staff. Drawing on the expertise and lived experience of campus community members, the Task Force produced actionable recommendations grounded in SJSU’s values of integrity, collaboration, and accountability.

This report offers a shared framework for strengthening inclusion, mutual respect, and institutional support across campus, and reflects our collective responsibility to lead with intention, engage across difference, and ensure that San José State University remains a welcoming, empowering place for students, faculty, and staff to learn, work, and contribute to Silicon Valley and the world.

San José State University recognizes that religious, secular, and spiritual cultures and identities (RSSCI) are an important part of how many students, faculty, and staff experience belonging, purpose, and community on campus. Supporting these identities is essential to creating an environment in which all members of the Spartan community feel respected, welcomed, and able to thrive.

Guided by these values, San José State University launched the Interfaith Task Force in December 2024 to examine the campus climate for RSSCI and to identify opportunities to strengthen inclusivity, support, and understanding. The Task Force was charged with assessing current conditions, identifying strengths and areas for improvement, developing actionable recommendations, and communicating its findings to the campus community. A campus-wide call for participation yielded nearly 70 expressions of interest and nominations, from which 14 members—five students, four faculty, four staff, and the Chief Diversity Officer as chair—were selected based on their campus roles, relevant expertise, and understanding of institutional policies and practices.

Reporting to the Institutional Excellence Council, the Interfaith Task Force developed recommendations aimed at strengthening inclusivity, mutual respect, and institutional accountability. This final report reflects SJSU’s values of integrity, collaboration, and transparency and supports the University’s ongoing efforts to embed equity and belonging across campus life.

The Interfaith Task Force approached its work with the understanding that RSSCI are deeply personal, socially situated, and structurally shaped. In this context religion/religious is defined as As with other dimensions of identity and belonging, experiences related to these identities are influenced not only by individual interactions, but also by institutional policies, physical spaces, communication practices, and the broader social and political context in which the University operates.

To fulfill its charge, the Task Force adopted a broad and holistic scope of inquiry, focused less on adjudicating individual incidents and more on understanding how institutional structures, norms, and practices support or inadvertently hinder the ability of students, faculty, and staff to fully participate in campus life while honoring their RSSCI.

The Task Force met regularly between February 2025 and October 2025 to engage in structured deliberation. Early meetings focused on clarifying the charge, establishing shared definitions and group norms and expectations, and reviewing relevant scholarship and models of interfaith and worldview engagement in higher education. The Task Force weighed the benefits and risks of administering a campus survey of climate around RSSCI or facilitating focus groups on the topic and determined not to proceed in this direction for several reasons (e.g., a comprehensive campus climate assessment was already planned for the following academic year, potential survey fatigue, time constraints, resource limitations).

The Task Force reviewed existing university policies, resolutions, and campus resources, analyzed prior campus climate data (e.g. belong@SJSU, Hillel International Campus Climate Review and recommendations), and compiled a working inventory of known RSSCI initiatives at SJSU and across the CSU. Members examined how peer institutions within and beyond the 2 CSU system organize RSSCI, with particular attention to governance models, accommodations processes, and space stewardship. Members also considered findings from external campus climate efforts and national studies.

Finally, the Task Force also employed qualitative sense-making, drawing on consultations with campus partners, member observations, meeting discussions, and input from campus community members, to surface recurring themes across constituencies.

The Task Force consulted with national experts in RSSCI in higher education to situate its work within relevant historical, legal, and policy contexts.These consultations helped sharpen the Task Force’s focus on structural and environmental conditions—such as access to space, accommodations processes, clarity of communication, and institutional readiness—rather than attempting to catalog individual beliefs or experiences.

These dimensions informed the development of recommendations designed to support both near-term actions and longer-term structural changes that will sustain equity and inclusion related to RSSCI at SJSU.

Building on this work, the Task Force produced preliminary recommendations in May 2025 that outlined a multi-year set of actions organized within a four-pillar framework for lasting change. These recommendations were refined in September 2025 to elevate near-term priorities alongside longer-range initiatives. The final recommendations presented in this report reflect those refinements, as well as additional input from an October 2025 consultation with President Cynthia Teniente-Matson.

The Task Force’s process, findings, and recommendations are not intended to evaluate or discipline specific organizations or individuals, nor to resolve theological or ideological differences. The Task Force recognizes that no single report can fully capture the full range of beliefs and experiences present at a large public university. Instead, this work seeks to identify systemic patterns and institutional opportunities and to offer recommendations that strengthen SJSU’s capacity to support RSSCI in a consistent, equitable, and legally sound manner.

Across its inquiry, the Task Force identified several recurring themes that cut across policies, practices, and lived experience. While SJSU demonstrates a strong commitment to equity, inclusion, and student well-being, support for RSSCI is often fragmented, informal, and unevenly visible, resulting in confusion, unmet needs, and missed opportunities for engagement for students, faculty, and staff alike.

Spaces and Access

The university offers prayer, reflection, and meditation spaces; however, awareness of these spaces is limited, and their management is inconsistent. Some spaces lack clear ownership, posted expectations, predictable hours, and defined after-hours or safety protocols. Community members reported practical challenges related to accessibility, storage, ablution needs, and the perception that some spaces function as de facto extensions of particular groups rather than shared institutional resources.

Policies and Accommodations

The Task Force found widespread uncertainty about how religious or secular accommodations are requested, reviewed, and resolved. Aside from University Policy S14-7: Accommodation to Students' Religious Holidays [pdf], University Policy S22-2: Student Excused Absences Policy [pdf], and Interim CSU Nondiscrimination Policy, there is no official guidance or clearly identifiable “front door” for requesting religious accommodations and processes for submitting, reviewing, approving, and appealing requests vary by unit. Students and employees often rely on informal negotiations with instructors or supervisors, leading to inconsistent outcomes and unnecessary stress. Clear timelines, appeal pathways, and centralized guidance are largely absent or difficult to locate.

Campus Climate and Education

Many community members expressed interest in greater RSSCI literacy and worldview awareness across campus, particularly among faculty, staff, and student leaders in front-line roles. At the same time, there is sensitivity to political polarization, religious nationalism, and concerns about proselytization or harassment. These dynamics underscore the need for thoughtful, skill-based education that emphasizes mutual respect, legal boundaries, and inclusive practice rather than belief endorsement.

Communications and Governance

Information related to RSSCI is currently dispersed across multiple offices and websites, making it difficult to navigate. The absence of a visible coordinating entity contributes to confusion about roles, responsibilities, and escalation pathways. There is strong interest in establishing sustained governance structures to support coordination, continuity, and accountability beyond the lifespan of the Task Force.

Safety and Rapid Response

Roles and responsibilities during religiously targeted incidents such as harassment, vandalism, or external threats are not consistently understood by the campus community. While campus safety protocols exist, community members expressed uncertainty about how care, communication, and follow-up are coordinated in incidents involving RSSCI, particularly outside of standard business hours.

Student Organizations and Funding Norms

RSSCI-related organizations contribute significantly to student belonging and leadership development, yet advising expectations, funding norms, and cross-community collaboration guidelines are not consistently articulated. Student leaders often rely on institutional knowledge passed down informally, which can disadvantage newer or smaller organizations.

External Partnerships

SJSU benefits from its location within a diverse religious and civic ecosystem. However, engagement with external faith-based, secular, and spiritual partners is largely ad hoc. The Task Force identified opportunities to strengthen pathways, collaborative programming, and coordination through more intentional and transparent partnership structure.

Multi‑campus research on supporting RSSCI has found that campuses improve climate and belonging when they move from ad‑hoc programming to administrative‑level policy and practice organized around four pillars (Nielsen & Small, 2019). The Task Force’s recommendations are outlined using these four pillars to build a durable system that improves climate, access, and belonging for campus community members of every RSSCI.

• Pillar 1: Relationships & Oversight: Formal, ongoing relationships between institutional leaders, advisors/chaplains, staff, student organizations, and community partners
• Pillar 2: Advocacy & Accommodation: A single, visible point of contact with authority to coordinate accommodations, make campus policy recommendations,offer help or insight and answer questions about accommodations, and resolve concerns; clear, iterative policies and a predictable process.
• Pillar 3: Infrastructure: Inclusive spaces (neutral prayer/reflection rooms with storage), multi‑faith centers, inclusive dining (halal/kosher/vegetarian labeling), centralized online site for information distribution, and residential policies that protect privacy and prevent coercion—integrated with access and safety.
• Pillar 4: Programming & Training: Scaled education and dialogue paired with routine staff/faculty training embedded in onboarding and ongoing development; addresses rights, responsibilities, and conflict management.

The following recommendations are organized to support both near-term action and long-term institutional change, recognizing the importance of sustained leadership, coordination, and accountability.

Pillar 1: Relationships & Oversight

Goal: Clarify roles, reduce friction, and establish sustained structures for coordination, collaboration, and early identification of emerging issues.

• Establish a Religious, Secular, and Spiritual Cultures and Identities (RSSCI) Lead to provide dedicated oversight and coordination of institutional efforts related to religious, spiritual, and secular life. This role will serve as a central point of leadership for policy guidance, program coordination, and campus-wide support, strengthening belonging while upholding institutional commitments to equity, inclusion, and legal compliance.
• Establish an RSSCI Steering Council, chaired by the RSSCI Lead, with representation from relevant campus units (e.g., Student Involvement, Center for Faculty Excellence and Teaching Innovation, Registrar, Campus Safety, Facilities Development & Operations, Dining, and Housing). The Council will provide cross-functional coordination, elevate systemic concerns, and advise on infrastructure, policy, and resource needs.
• Create an RSSCI Student Organization Council that convenes each semester to foster communication, collaboration, and shared learning among registered student organizations related to religious, spiritual, and secular identities. Each organization will be invited to designate one student representative and one advisor.
• Clarify and publish advising guidelines for RSSCI-related registered student organizations, including advisor expectations, boundaries related to external affiliates, and norms for conflict resolution and escalation.
• Launch a Community Advisory Circle composed of local religious, spiritual, and secular leaders to support two-way communication, partnership, and coordination between the University and the broader community.

Pillar 2: Advocacy & Accommodation

Goal: Ensure clear, visible, and consistent processes for requesting and receiving religious, spiritual, and secular accommodations across the institution.

• Designate the RSSCI Lead as the single, visible point of contact for questions, concerns, and coordination related to religious, spiritual, and secular accommodations, and publish this contact information prominently.
• Publish a comprehensive RSSCI Accommodations Policy with standardized request forms for students and employees, including clear timelines, review criteria, and appeal pathways.
• Integrate a standard syllabus statement into the Concourse system linking to the RSSCI policy, accommodations process, and campus calendar.
• Enhance the RSSCI calendar to include brief explanatory narratives for holidays and observances, and ensure the calendar is distributed at the beginning of each semester.
• Issue academic and event scheduling guidance to support inclusive planning for major academic, co-curricular, and institutional events.

Pillar 3: Infrastructure (Spaces, Climate, and Services)

Goal: Align physical spaces, online resources, and campus services with institutional commitments to inclusion, access, and safety.

• Inventory all prayer, reflection, and meditation spaces, including location, hours, capacity, accessibility features, ablution access, and storage, and assign a responsible unit with defined service-level expectations for each space.
• Post clear signage and quick-response materials in all designated spaces outlining shared-use expectations, contact information for concerns, and a code of mutual respect.
• Coordinate with the University Police Department (UPD) to integrate safety checks, incident response procedures, and after-hours access protocols for designated spaces.
• Establish and maintain a centralized online hub for RSSCI-related information, resources, and support.
• Partner with Dining Services to develop, publish, and maintain clear labeling standards and event-catering guidance for halal, kosher, vegetarian, Jain vegetarian, and vegan options.
• Clarify campus policies related to proselytizing and solicitation, including expectations and reporting pathways.

Pillar 4: Programming & Training

Goal: Build campus-wide RSSCI literacy, skills, and capacity to engage across religious, secular, and spiritual difference.

• Launch campus-wide teach-ins, dialogues, and educational programming to increase understanding of RSSCI diversity and to support respectful engagement across difference.
• Expand curricular and co-curricular opportunities for students to engage with RSSCI diversity through coursework, facilitated dialogue, and experiential learning.
• Embed RSSCI-related training into key institutional touchpoints, including new-student orientation, residence life training, student-facing staff onboarding, and new faculty orientation.
• Collaborate with the Center for Faculty Excellence and Teaching Innovation (CFETI) to establish faculty learning communities focused on teaching and learning across RSSCI.
• Develop student dialogue and peer education programs to support sustained, student-led engagement and leadership development.

Implementation timelines are intended to guide sequencing and prioritization and may be refined based on resources and institutional capacity.

Near-Term Actions (Within 1 Year)

• Appoint an interim RSSCI Lead to coordinate early implementation and serve as a visible point of contact.
• Establish the RSSCI Student Organization Council to support communication and collaboration among registered student organizations.
• Publish advising guidelines for RSSCI-related RSOs.
• Launch a Community Advisory Circle with local religious, secular, and spiritual community partners.
• Publish a comprehensive RSSCI Accommodations Policy with standardized request forms for students and employees.
• Update and distribute the RSSCI calendar at the beginning of each semester.
• Inventory all prayer, reflection, and meditation spaces and assign responsible units with defined service expectations.
• Establish a centralized online hub for RSSCI-related information, resources, and support.
• Develop and deliver introductory training for faculty and staff on RSSCI demographics, legal responsibilities, and inclusive practices.

Mid-Term Actions (1–3 Years)

• Establish a permanent RSSCI Lead position with defined authority and resources.
• Stand up the RSSCI Steering Council to provide sustained cross-functional coordination and oversight.
• Develop and implement memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with external partners (e.g., chaplaincies and community organizations).
• Embed RSSCI training into new-student orientation, residence life training, student-facing staff onboarding, and new faculty orientation.
• Publish academic and event scheduling guidance to support inclusive planning across campus.
• Partner with Dining Services to publish and maintain dietary labeling standards and event-catering guidance.
• Clarify and publish proselytizing and solicitation policies and reporting pathways.
• Launch faculty learning communities and student dialogue programs to support sustained engagement.

Long-Term Actions (4–5 Years and Beyond)

• Evaluate the need for and feasibility of establishing a dedicated RSSCI Center to support long-term coordination, programming, and community engagement.
• Assess staffing and funding models to ensure sustainability of RSSCI initiatives and institutional capacity.
• Expand academic pathways for integrating RSSCI awareness and literacy into undergraduate and graduate curricula.
• Explore annual leadership development and retreat opportunities for students, faculty, and staff focused on RSSCI-related trends and campus needs.
• Implement ongoing assessment mechanisms to evaluate campus climate, effectiveness of supports, and emerging needs over time.

Success will be reflected in a campus environment where students, faculty, and staff can reliably access clear information, equitable support, and inclusive spaces related to RSSCI. Over time, this includes predictable and transparent accommodation processes, well-maintained and clearly stewarded prayer, reflection, and meditation spaces, increased RSSCI literacy and confidence among faculty and staff; and strengthened relationships among student organizations, campus units, and community partners.

More broadly, success means that RSSCI are no longer addressed through ad-hoc responses, but are embedded into institutional policies, practices, and planning in ways that support belonging, well-being, and success for students, faculty, and staff. These outcomes align with SJSU’s commitments to Institutional Excellence, equity-mindedness and cultural humility, people-centered practice, and holistic support for every member of the campus community.

San José State University is a diverse, dynamic, and student-centered institution, and supporting RSSCI is an essential part of fostering a campus climate where all community members can learn, work, and thrive. The recommendations in this report reflect the collective efforts of students, faculty, and staff to thoughtfully assess current conditions and to identify practical, values-aligned steps toward a more inclusive and supportive institutional framework.

This report is not an endpoint, but a foundation. Sustaining progress will require continued leadership, collaboration across divisions, and ongoing assessment to ensure that policies and practices remain responsive to the evolving needs of the campus community. By acting on these recommendations, SJSU affirms its commitment to equity, belonging, and well-being—and to preparing students, faculty, and staff to engage across difference, lead with integrity, and contribute meaningfully to the University, Silicon Valley, and the world. 

Faculty

Jonathan Fung, Senior Lecturer, Photography and
Interdisciplinary Art

Funie Hsu/Chhî, Assistant Professor, American Studies

Cheryl Roddick, Professor, Mathematics

Karthika Sasikumar, Professor, Political Science

Staff

Clarissa Mae Calimbas, Senior Event Planner, University Advancement

Rachel Grad, Research Training and Engagement Analyst, SJSU Research Foundation

Taranjit Kaur, Admissions Counselor/Recruiter, Student Outreach and Recruitment

Kevin Ross, Information Tech Consultant, College of Science

Students

Grace Austin, Undergraduate Student

Megan Bischof, Undergraduate Student

Joshua Heytler, Graduate Student

*Aakash Krishnan, Undergraduate Student

Samuel Waterman, Graduate Student

Student members of the task force chose not to continue participating beyond September 2025; student positions will be refilled Spring 2026 when we enter into implementation.

Chair

Kristin Nicole Dukes, Chief Diversity Officer

*Appointed but did not participate